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June Vignette - Gemini the Zodian by Linda Mooney

Gemini

             Lucia stared at the other side of the bunker. Specifically, at the ladder that led up to the surface. She’d climbed that ladder countless times but always stopped at the hatch cover. Sometimes she’d put her ear to the round steel door. Other times she’d just stare at it as she listened. Hoping to hear something. Anything. She wasn’t picky because any external noise meant that someone was out there. Someone still alive.

            Someone besides herself.

            She never did.

            “What’s the use? I’m probably the last living person on Earth. If I’m not, the other person could be on the other side of the world. Or they could be sick and dying from radiation poisoning.”

            She looked down at where her hands rested on top of the tome she’d been reading for the twentieth time. Or was it the fiftieth? She’d lost count long ago. Worse, she’d stop caring. It had gotten to where the words had become a mishmash in her head. The story no longer had any meaning to her, other than it was what she called a “comfort read.”

            If there was anything to be grateful for, it was that she was a Gemini. Without her other self, she knew she would have gone stark raving mad long before now.

            She checked the makeshift calendar she’d begun keeping soon after she’d escaped down here. According to it, she’d been cooped up for fifty-eight days, but those were guesses. The sole clock was an old wind-up model, which she dutifully wound every “morning” she awoke. But it was impossible to tell morning from night.

            “Well, not really,” she argued with herself. Whenever she left her body and the bunker, she knew if it was day or night outside. What she couldn’t distinguish was when one day ended and night began. For all she knew, going out one “day,” and going out again after she thought she’d had a full night’s sleep to find it daylight, she’d sometimes discover it was the same day. Sometimes it two days later.

            “Face it, Lucia. Trying to keep track of your days and nights is the last thing you should be worrying about.”

            She turned to stare at the small kitchenette. The place was packed with food and water, as the bunker had been supplied to sustain up to fifteen people for sixty days. If she watched her intake and only ate just two meals a day, she’d figured she might be able to survive three years. That is, if the batteries held out. Without them, the lights wouldn’t work. Neither would the air circulation system. Or the AC. No lights wouldn’t be so much a problem. She had several of those wind-up handheld flashlights. But the need for fresh air was a whole different and potentially dangerous problem. In short, if it failed, she’d suffocate inside this three-room box.

            Sighing, she leaned back against the wall. She wanted to escape from here. But since opening that hatchway and stepping out into a nuclear-torn landscape was impossible, she found peace of mind by transposing into her other self, her “psychic twin” as her father described their abilities. In that shape, she was free to roam outside. In her corporal form, radiation wouldn’t harm her. Neither would the air quality, as her other self supplied it from within the bunker. Plus, she wasn’t bound by gravity or the laws of physics. She could view the devastation, and when she couldn’t stomach any more, she retreated back to the safety of her body lying asleep and almost comatose inside the sealed habitat she now called home.

But the biggest reason why she ventured out was to look for survivors. She prayed daily that she’d find evidence of others because that would lead her to where they were secluded.

Slamming her book shut, she set it to the side. “To hell with this. If I want to go out, I can go. Why am I putting it off?”

She stretched out on the cot and closed her eyes. Slowing her breathing, she settled into that gray area that enabled her to release her alternate form.

She arose from her body and glanced down at herself to make sure there wasn’t anything that might accidentally hurt or disturb her while she was away. Once she was reassured, Lucia floated upward, passing through the bunker’s steel outer shell and yards of concrete until she emerged into the open.

The sun was on its way down. She figured she had a couple of hours at the most before sunset. When that happened, the planet would become like a ghost town. Empty, devoid of all life. No animal or insect life, much less human.

She noticed the moon was already out, but it was a sliver of light. It wouldn’t provide enough illumination for her to see anything clearly. Not when electricity or any sort of power no longer existed. And because she was corporeal, bringing a flashlight with her was impossible.

Rising a bit higher, she spotted Reed’s Furniture Store with it’s unique green roof. That was her point of reference.

“I haven’t gone in that direction in a while,” she reminded herself. “If I keep going, Plackerton is about thirty miles or so. Since I haven’t seen anything here in the city, there might be something in one of the outlying towns.” She shrugged. “It’s worth a look-see.”

She followed the main thoroughfares but kept above the rooftops, keeping her eyes open for any kind of sign, movement, or sound from below. There was little wind. The sky was cloudless. Although she couldn’t feel it, she knew it was bitterly cold. Mounds of ash, ice, and snow littered the landscape. No footprints marred their pristine surfaces.

Cursing softly, she rose higher. Keeping to the city was a useless endeavor. It was time she expanded her search.

Something twinkled in the distance. At first she thought it was caused by sunlight reflecting off a piece of glass until it happened again.

Lucia stopped, hovering in mid-air as the glimmer repeated itself. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear it was growing bigger.

“It’s almost like…” She was about to say it looked like her father whenever he was in his Gemini self. “But that’s impossible. Daddy died six years ago.”

What if it was…another Gemini?

As far as she knew, she was the only one of her kind in the city. Daddy always told her they were becoming fewer and fewer every decade. Fortunately, they could marry normal humans and procreate, but any child born of the union wasn’t guaranteed to carry the Gemini genes. Her father had been ecstatic when she’d begun showing tendencies when she was four months old. Since then, he’d been both her parent and teacher. They’d gone on many memorable adventures as he taught her how to use her abilities. But in all that time, she’d never met another of their kind.

The shimmering disappeared.

“No! No, no!”

She dove, aiming for the location where she’d last seen the light. The spot turned out to be a Rex-Great Supermarket. Like most of the buildings, the front plate-glass windows had been blown out, but there was no way the sun was reflecting off the slivers lying on the pavement. This section was already in shadow, which meant the sparkling—

“Hey! Hey, you!”

She jerked around. A young man stood—no, floated—in the broken doorway. Like herself, she could see through him. Neither did he cast any sort of shadow or reflection.

He stared at her in disbelief. “Please tell me you’re a Gemini. Tell me I’m not imagining you.”

She forced a smile on her face to keep from screaming in joy. “Yes! Yes, I’m a Gemini! My name’s Lucia Wilkes. Sweet heavens!” She made herself take several deep breaths to steady herself. Back in the bunker, she knew her body would also be reacting. She needed to fight these emotions so she didn’t get too overexcited, or else she might fall off the cot and possibly hurt herself. There was also the off chance she’d end up on her face and suffocate.

“I-I didn’t know there was another one like me,” the man continued.

“I know what you mean. My father told me our kind were becoming very scarce.”

“Your father?” The man looked around. “Where is he?”

“He died several years ago.” She pointed to him. “You haven’t told me your name.”

“Tolton. Tolton Zabrac.”

“It’s good to meet you. Hell, I’m thrilled to learn someone else survived!” She narrowed her eyes. “How old are you, Tolton.”

“Twenty-four. You?”

“Twenty-six.” Lucia mentally shook her head. Something seemed a bit…off. His face was gaunt, his shimmering body unusually thin.

“How’d you manage to survive?” Tolton asked, breaking into her thoughts.

“Sheer happenstance. I was shopping here in town when I heard the alarms go off, so I ran to find the nearest shelter. But the one I got to, they wouldn’t let me in. I was running down Bentley Avenue when the first bomb landed somewhere way out there.” She gestured toward the city limits. “So I dove into the first building that was nearby. That’s when I noticed the fallout shelter sign on the wall. I followed it to a bunker.”

“How many more are down there with you?”

“There’s just me. That’s why I’m so glad to find you.” She chuckled. “And you’re a Gemini! How about you?”

“I was at work at Doppling Realty when the alarms sounded. Actually, I was the only one in the office. Shirley was out on maternity leave, and Dan was at lunch. There’s a small shelter in the basement, and I took off for it.” He shook his head. “Stupid, stupid, stupid. I stumbled and fell going down the stairs. I barely managed to drag myself inside and seal the door when everything around me started shaking like an earthquake had struck.”

Lucia nodded. It was making sense now. “I remember the floor heaving underneath me. Tolton, how badly are you hurt?”

He winced. “Pretty bad. The only way I can get any relief is by soaring.”

“Soaring?”

“Yeah. You know. What we’re doing now.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “What do you call it?”

She chuckled. “Flying. In my other self.” The thought of him being in pain all this time came to the fore, and she grew serious. “Tolton, how are you surviving?”

He turned away from her before answering. “I drag myself over to the boxes and eat whatever I can get my hands on.”

Drawing closer, she stared more intently at him. This close, she could see the dried blood and other stains on his jeans. It was clear he hadn’t been able to clean himself after all this time, and her heart went out to him.

“Doppling Realty is over on Fourth Street, right?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“My bunker’s on St. Martin’s. That’s what? Four or five blocks away?”

“Yeah.” His eyes widened. “What are you thinking?” He sounded both cautious and hopeful.

“I need to get over to where you are. See if there’s anything I can do to help you.”

Tolton shook his head. “There’s nothing you can do. My legs are already healing…sort of.” He glanced down at himself, then back up at her. “Besides, I’m filthy. My place is an absolute disaster because I…I can’t…” He seemed on the verge of breaking down.

She knew exactly what he was trying to say. “It’s going to be okay. Show me where you are. Where your body is. I know we don’t have any sort of physical ability when we’re in our twin form. We can’t touch or anything like that, but once I know where you are, I’ll be able to figure out how far I am from you.”

“Are you seriously thinking about leaving your bunker? You can’t! It’s too dangerous!” he protested, although she knew he’d give anything for it to happen.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “I’m going to try. I’ll find a way. Trust me, Tolton. I’ll find a way. There has to be. But until I do…” She drifted closer to him, a trembling smile on her face. “Let’s go over to your place. I can tell you’re tired. We can talk after you meld back with your body.”

He hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“More sure than I’ve ever been in my life.”

Tolton stared at her for a few more seconds, then nodded. “Come this way,” he invited and soared into the sky with Lucia right behind him.

Link to Linda's Website 

HERE BE NEWS for Monday June 26, 2023

 

 

 Monday June 26, 2023 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

Thursday June 22, 2023:  PG Forte offers a post from the archives with, Let's Hear it for the Boys!

It's another Stuff Your E-Reader Event. 1000+ FREE Romance Books from

RomanceBookworms.com

Going To The Chapel

Oberon/LA LoveLessons Crossover Book 1.0 

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AjeaA

In Waiting For The Big One, Gabby and Derek went from being friends to being lovers. Now, they're waiting for their "big day". But will it be the wedding of their dreams? Or a bride's worst nightmare? 

 A quick trip to Gabby's hometown turns into the wedding from hell when Gabby and Derek are plagued by hailstorms, lost reservations, voracious goats, angry bees and enough family drama to fill a barn. 

 Guess it's true what they say, "The course of true love never did run smooth." But can the happy couple hold it all together, or will their Big Day turn into a Big Mess?

 ​***A different version of this book was previously released as part of the Sapphire Falls Kindle World program.***

Excerpt:

We arrived at Gabby's family's farm at about four in the afternoon. A large metal sign hanging from the front gate proclaimed it to be the Quick Browne Goat Farm. 

"So who's Quick?" I asked. 

Gabby shot me a puzzled look. "What are you talking about?" 

"On the sign." I pointed behind us. Browne was the family name, and the goat part was also obvious, but Quick? 

Gabby smiled. "Oh, I don't know. The goats, I guess. You know that sentence they make you memorize when you learn touch typing: 'the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog'?" "I've heard of it, sure." "It's like that. " 

Puzzled, I turned in my seat to stare at her. "It's 'like that' how?" 

"Well, I mean, we've always had some of the laziest sheepdogs you've ever seen. I'm sure they've been jumped over a time or two." 

"By foxes?" "No." Gabby eyed me strangely. "By goats. It's a goat farm, remember?" 

I probably should have given up at that point. I've gotten into these kinds of conversations with her before. They never end well. "Okay, but then where do the foxes come in?" 

 "They don't." 

"But..." "Look, the whole point of that sentence is that it uses all the letters of the alphabet, right? They had to use fox. Goat wouldn't have worked at all in that context." 

"Obviously." 

"Okay, and so what should also be obvious is that it wouldn't make any sense to call this the Quick Browne Fox Farm. Right?" 

None of it made sense; that was the problem. And I was just about to say so when she hit me with that smile. Now, here's something you might not know about my Gabe. She has one of the greatest smiles in the whole damn world. It's fucking radiant. It's the kind of smile that makes men stupid. If you haven't seen it, you'll just have to take my word on that. I knew I was in trouble the very first time she flashed it my way. I'd never before been covetous of a facial expression, but in that moment, I desperately wanted to keep her smiling at me—and only at me—just like that, forever. I know it's only a matter of time before her career takes off, because I can't be the only one who feels that way. 

"Well?" Gabby prompted. "Would it?" 

 But her smile had done its usual good work. My train of thought had so thoroughly jumped its tracks that my brain was the mental equivalent of a heap of twisted steel. "Uh...what were we talking about again?" 

 Gabby shot me a mock glare. "The Quick Browne Fox Farm. Remember?" 

"Oh, right." Now, I'm all for sticking to my guns, but I also know when I'm beat. "Yeah, you're right. That's crazy. That wouldn't work at all." 

"Exactly," Gabby purred as she pulled the truck to a stop. She glanced at me again, and her smile went from bright to brilliant; I felt a thrill of delight, until I realized the reason for it wasn't my easy capitulation, it was the fact that she was home. 

 I turned to look around me. We were parked in front of yet another picturesque farmhouse, complete with wraparound porch and white picket fence. This one was white, with blue trim and shutters. Blue and white Lilies of the Nile skirted the foundation. Blue morning glory vines twined along the fence. White wicker baskets overflowing with periwinkle and lobelia hung from the eaves of the porch. 

"I see someone likes blue." 

 Gabby nodded. "It’s my mom’s favorite color." 

The blue-and-white color theme was not confined to the house. Now that I knew what I was looking for, I saw hints everywhere. In the English Sheepdog dozing on the porch swing; mostly white with bluish-gray patches. In the flock of mop-headed chickens pecking at the lawn—oddly reminiscent of the dog, with similar plumage in matching shades. Even the drive where we were parked, with its blue-gray gravel, and its border of whitewashed rocks fit the picture. It was an impressive achievement, in a slightly over-the-top, borderline obsessive kind of way. Not that I'd ever say so. 

 Listen, just 'cause my family's dysfunctional, doesn't mean I don't know better than to criticize someone else's. 

 I’d have had to be an idiot not to notice the eager expression Gabby’d been wearing ever since we'd arrived in Oberon. While, intellectually, I knew she loved acting, that she loved the life she'd built for herself in the city, that she loved me, I still found myself starting to worry. How much work was it going to take to drag her out of here next week? Just because I’d never been here before, didn’t mean I hadn’t heard the familiar adage. Oberon, they say, is a hard place to get to—and a harder place to leave. I’d only been here a few hours, and I was already concerned. 

"Let's go see where everyone is," Gabby said as she jumped from the truck. I started to follow, but just then a man came striding around the corner of the house to greet her. 

 He was tall and lean, with the kind of weathered skin and corded muscles that you only get from spending most of your life working out-of-doors. I'd pegged him as Gabby's father even before she turned and waved impatiently for me to join them. 

Gabby's dad, Mick, looked every inch the aging hippy farmer Gabby had described him as being. His hair was long, just starting to go gray, and the bandana on his head was clearly there for functionality, not as a fashion statement—despite it being blue and white, like everything else around here. He had a firm handshake, a steely gaze, and a smile that would probably have been a whole lot warmer if I were someone else. But I was the stranger who would shortly be marrying his daughter, the bastard who'd gotten her pregnant. I suspected it would be a long time before he forgave me for either of those offenses. And, until he did, I figured my chances of getting a genuine smile out of the man were slim to no-fucking-way. 

"Did I tell you that Derek teaches yoga?" Gabby asked, threading her fingers with mine and leaning against my shoulder. I was intensely aware of her tit pressed tight against my bicep, and not in a good way, given that her father was looking on. I felt like she was claiming me for her own, marking me as hers, all of which I'd normally be in favor of. But, right now, with the hostile vibe already rolling in waves off her old man? Not so much. "That's how we met." 

"So you've said," Mick replied dryly. I didn't miss the way his face hardened as his gaze latched onto all the places where Gabby's body and mine connected. It was all I could do not to push her away. Something told me that would be worse. 

 "My dad's been practicing yoga for years," Gabby informed me, seemingly oblivious to the tension. 

"Very cool." I smiled at Mick. "What style do you prefer? Sivananda? Kripalu?" I was expecting him to be into something like that, something old skool and classic. Maybe a little Bikram in the winter. 

 What I wasn't expecting was, "Goat." 

 "Daddy!" Gabby scowled at him. 

 "What? You've never heard of goat yoga? Look it up sometime, if you don't believe me." Mick gazed at me challengingly as he added, "Sometimes the chickens join in too." 

"I think I saw something about that online." Of course, I'd assumed it was a joke, but maybe I was wrong? "I'd be interested in seeing that in action while I'm here. We don't get much of a call for it in Los Angeles." 

 "Their loss." 

"I guess so."

Bring It Back(list) Going to the Chapel by PG Forte

Going To The Chapel

Oberon/LA LoveLessons Crossover Book 1.0 

Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AjeaA

In Waiting For The Big One, Gabby and Derek went from being friends to being lovers. Now, they're waiting for their "big day". But will it be the wedding of their dreams? Or a bride's worst nightmare? 

 A quick trip to Gabby's hometown turns into the wedding from hell when Gabby and Derek are plagued by hailstorms, lost reservations, voracious goats, angry bees and enough family drama to fill a barn. 

 Guess it's true what they say, "The course of true love never did run smooth." But can the happy couple hold it all together, or will their Big Day turn into a Big Mess?

 ​***A different version of this book was previously released as part of the Sapphire Falls Kindle World program.***

Excerpt:

We arrived at Gabby's family's farm at about four in the afternoon. A large metal sign hanging from the front gate proclaimed it to be the Quick Browne Goat Farm. 

"So who's Quick?" I asked. 

Gabby shot me a puzzled look. "What are you talking about?" 

"On the sign." I pointed behind us. Browne was the family name, and the goat part was also obvious, but Quick? 

Gabby smiled. "Oh, I don't know. The goats, I guess. You know that sentence they make you memorize when you learn touch typing: 'the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog'?" "I've heard of it, sure." "It's like that. " 

Puzzled, I turned in my seat to stare at her. "It's 'like that' how?" 

"Well, I mean, we've always had some of the laziest sheepdogs you've ever seen. I'm sure they've been jumped over a time or two." 

"By foxes?" "No." Gabby eyed me strangely. "By goats. It's a goat farm, remember?" 

I probably should have given up at that point. I've gotten into these kinds of conversations with her before. They never end well. "Okay, but then where do the foxes come in?" 

 "They don't." 

"But..." "Look, the whole point of that sentence is that it uses all the letters of the alphabet, right? They had to use fox. Goat wouldn't have worked at all in that context." 

"Obviously." 

"Okay, and so what should also be obvious is that it wouldn't make any sense to call this the Quick Browne Fox Farm. Right?" 

None of it made sense; that was the problem. And I was just about to say so when she hit me with that smile. Now, here's something you might not know about my Gabe. She has one of the greatest smiles in the whole damn world. It's fucking radiant. It's the kind of smile that makes men stupid. If you haven't seen it, you'll just have to take my word on that. I knew I was in trouble the very first time she flashed it my way. I'd never before been covetous of a facial expression, but in that moment, I desperately wanted to keep her smiling at me—and only at me—just like that, forever. I know it's only a matter of time before her career takes off, because I can't be the only one who feels that way. 

"Well?" Gabby prompted. "Would it?" 

 But her smile had done its usual good work. My train of thought had so thoroughly jumped its tracks that my brain was the mental equivalent of a heap of twisted steel. "Uh...what were we talking about again?" 

 Gabby shot me a mock glare. "The Quick Browne Fox Farm. Remember?" 

"Oh, right." Now, I'm all for sticking to my guns, but I also know when I'm beat. "Yeah, you're right. That's crazy. That wouldn't work at all." 

"Exactly," Gabby purred as she pulled the truck to a stop. She glanced at me again, and her smile went from bright to brilliant; I felt a thrill of delight, until I realized the reason for it wasn't my easy capitulation, it was the fact that she was home. 

 I turned to look around me. We were parked in front of yet another picturesque farmhouse, complete with wraparound porch and white picket fence. This one was white, with blue trim and shutters. Blue and white Lilies of the Nile skirted the foundation. Blue morning glory vines twined along the fence. White wicker baskets overflowing with periwinkle and lobelia hung from the eaves of the porch. 

"I see someone likes blue." 

 Gabby nodded. "It’s my mom’s favorite color." 

The blue-and-white color theme was not confined to the house. Now that I knew what I was looking for, I saw hints everywhere. In the English Sheepdog dozing on the porch swing; mostly white with bluish-gray patches. In the flock of mop-headed chickens pecking at the lawn—oddly reminiscent of the dog, with similar plumage in matching shades. Even the drive where we were parked, with its blue-gray gravel, and its border of whitewashed rocks fit the picture. It was an impressive achievement, in a slightly over-the-top, borderline obsessive kind of way. Not that I'd ever say so. 

 Listen, just 'cause my family's dysfunctional, doesn't mean I don't know better than to criticize someone else's. 

 I’d have had to be an idiot not to notice the eager expression Gabby’d been wearing ever since we'd arrived in Oberon. While, intellectually, I knew she loved acting, that she loved the life she'd built for herself in the city, that she loved me, I still found myself starting to worry. How much work was it going to take to drag her out of here next week? Just because I’d never been here before, didn’t mean I hadn’t heard the familiar adage. Oberon, they say, is a hard place to get to—and a harder place to leave. I’d only been here a few hours, and I was already concerned. 

"Let's go see where everyone is," Gabby said as she jumped from the truck. I started to follow, but just then a man came striding around the corner of the house to greet her. 

 He was tall and lean, with the kind of weathered skin and corded muscles that you only get from spending most of your life working out-of-doors. I'd pegged him as Gabby's father even before she turned and waved impatiently for me to join them. 

Gabby's dad, Mick, looked every inch the aging hippy farmer Gabby had described him as being. His hair was long, just starting to go gray, and the bandana on his head was clearly there for functionality, not as a fashion statement—despite it being blue and white, like everything else around here. He had a firm handshake, a steely gaze, and a smile that would probably have been a whole lot warmer if I were someone else. But I was the stranger who would shortly be marrying his daughter, the bastard who'd gotten her pregnant. I suspected it would be a long time before he forgave me for either of those offenses. And, until he did, I figured my chances of getting a genuine smile out of the man were slim to no-fucking-way. 

"Did I tell you that Derek teaches yoga?" Gabby asked, threading her fingers with mine and leaning against my shoulder. I was intensely aware of her tit pressed tight against my bicep, and not in a good way, given that her father was looking on. I felt like she was claiming me for her own, marking me as hers, all of which I'd normally be in favor of. But, right now, with the hostile vibe already rolling in waves off her old man? Not so much. "That's how we met." 

"So you've said," Mick replied dryly. I didn't miss the way his face hardened as his gaze latched onto all the places where Gabby's body and mine connected. It was all I could do not to push her away. Something told me that would be worse. 

 "My dad's been practicing yoga for years," Gabby informed me, seemingly oblivious to the tension. 

"Very cool." I smiled at Mick. "What style do you prefer? Sivananda? Kripalu?" I was expecting him to be into something like that, something old skool and classic. Maybe a little Bikram in the winter. 

 What I wasn't expecting was, "Goat." 

 "Daddy!" Gabby scowled at him. 

 "What? You've never heard of goat yoga? Look it up sometime, if you don't believe me." Mick gazed at me challengingly as he added, "Sometimes the chickens join in too." 

"I think I saw something about that online." Of course, I'd assumed it was a joke, but maybe I was wrong? "I'd be interested in seeing that in action while I'm here. We don't get much of a call for it in Los Angeles." 

 "Their loss." 

"I guess so."

From the Archives: Let's Hear it for the Boys

Yesterday was the Summer Solstice, so I thought I'd take a look back at this post about my book OAK, which had just been released as The Oak King. Even though my Holly King, Kieran Mac Cuilenn isn't mentioned in either title, he's definitely a driving force in the story. And just because the excerpt I'd chosen to include in this original post takes place at the Winter Solstice, doesn't mean the Summer Solstice isn't just as integral to the story. Actually, I'd argue that is's more integral. 

So I hope you enjoy this look back. And Happy Litha!

OAK

Fantasy Romance

PG Forte

160 pages

Digital Buy links:  https://books2read.com/u/bMRraG

Also available in print: https://www.amazon.com/Oak-Celtic-Legends-PG-Forte/dp/1880370271

My book The Oak King released this week. It’s a fantasy ménage set in nineteenth century Ireland between a very independent-minded—and very human--widow named Aine and the two tree spirits who have fallen in love with her. And with each other.  

This book has been a long time in the planning and has been through more re-writes than any other book I’ve ever written. At one point, it was a novella. At another, I thought I was going to have to turn it into a trilogy—never mind the fact that the last book I tried to turn into a trilogy morphed into a series that I hope to be able to wrap up in seven books. Thanks to my wonderful editor and a couple of equally wonderful beta readers, I managed to wrangle the story into something more manageable.

I love Aine. She’s a woman who knows her mind and isn’t afraid to change it. She’s also not afraid to go out and get what she wants, even when it runs counter to everything she used to think she wanted. She’s also probably the only woman who could ever have handled not just Fionn and Kieran, but all the angsty, complicated baggage the two of them brought along with them.

 I do love angsty, complicated heroes.  It’s a weakness. And, I have to confess, when it comes to Fionn and Kieran…I’d have a hard time choosing a favorite as well. They belong together, although they fight it for a good part of the story.  And they both belong with Aine. And when they finally all come together…well, I’m sure you can guess what happens then.

Anyway, here’s the blurb and a short excerpt, because sharing is caring--as I'm sure Aine would agree--and I love sharing excerpts.

Twice each year, Aine Murphy ventures into the woods to hold ceremonies to honor the Oak King and the Holly King, never dreaming these Lords of the Forest could be anything more than myth. When the legends spring to life in front of her, how can she help but fall for the sexy demi-gods she's loved all her life?

From midwinter to midsummer, Fionn O'Dair rules the Greenworld as the Oak King--a role he feels is beyond his abilities, and one that dooms him to a loveless future, forever craving the one man he can never allow himself to have. How can he resist what Aine offers--the sweet devotion that soothes his aching soul, and the slim chance to live a "normal" life as her husband, if only for half a year?

Holly King Kieran Mac Cuilenn never desired a human lover--until now. Seeing Fionn and Aine together fills him with longing for the love he threw away and awakens feelings he thought he'd buried with the last Oak King. Is there enough magic in the solstice to correct the mistakes he made years ago? Or is he doomed to be forever left out in the cold?

*****

December 1895

At the time of the winter solstice

From his vantage point, beside the farmyard gate, Kieran surveyed the seemingly peaceful scene spread out before him. The night was still with nary a breeze to stir in even the topmost branches of the nearby trees. High above his head, thin white clouds stretched misty ribbons across the sky, blotting out great swaths of stars and wrapping the half-dark moon in a gauzy embrace. Kieran studied the orb’s shadowed form for several moments, the better to divine her wishes. Fionn might claim to serve the sun alone, but Kieran, Ruler of the Waning Year and creature of the ’Tween, knew better. There was naught on this earth could escape the Night Queen’s influence.

In a little over a week, when the moon rose full, it would be for the thirteenth time this year. A rare and unusual occurrence, it signaled a time of transition and change, a time when one might reasonably hope to alter one’s path. A hot swell of anticipation arose within him as he thought of it, the moon of opportunity and rebirth. The opportunity to change—wasn’t that exactly what he needed, what they all needed?

Tonight. Why should it not be tonight?

The sentinels of the forest were used to biding their time. A delay of several decades before a goal could materialize or a dream come to fruition meant little to one such as he. That didn’t mean he didn’t suffer through the waiting, however. It didn’t mean he couldn’t yearn, or covet, or long for what he could not have, what he might never have, or what he might have foolishly thrown away.

Tonight. Please let it be tonight.

On the surface, the cozy farmhouse nestled in its tidy yard looked much as it had the previous year, snug, warm, and inviting, but as Kieran well knew, looks were oftentimes deceiving.

Last year, even despite the pleasant setting, the sight of this place had sparked only fear and uncertainty within him. Tonight, the small stone building, with its whitewashed walls and slate-tiled roof, with candles burning in the windows and a lazy curl of smoke eddying from the chimney, marked the seat of all his hopes and dreams, as well as the crux of his restless discontent. Within its four walls resided everything he longed for and ached to possess.

It was that which kept him standing out here in the cold, which made him hesitate, afraid to enter or even to make his presence known to those inside. Fear. Anticipation. Hope. Uncertainty. Excitement. Desire. Love. Regret.

If his dreams were ever to be realized, it would have to happen sometime. It might be now, or a hundred years from now. Kieran would much prefer it be now, of course, but even a hundred years was better than the third possibility—that his dreams should die aborning and never be realized at all.

Maybe he’d already had his chance and lost it. Maybe what he longed for now would never be his again. In truth, he didn’t know what to expect. That, at least, was the same as last year.

He’d sped here last winter on the full moon’s bright wings and his own breathless terror, his whole mind focused on a single goal—that of saving Fionn’s life. When he’d arrived at the farmhouse, it was just in time to hear Aine’s threat to cut down his grove—and out of nothing more than spite! It had seemed to Kieran then that his fears had all been justified.

Now, he could laugh about it. A smile creased his face as he remembered it. How fierce and fiery she’d appeared. Despite the danger she’d represented, she’d been radiant with her red-gold hair catching the fire’s light and her blue eyes gleaming like sapphires over her flushed cheeks. Even smudged with flour and seething with rage, she’d been a sight to render him almost speechless.

She’d seemed even more magnificent in her anger and wounded pride than she had on that previous midsummer morning. She’d looked like a goddess or a proud young queen as she’d stared Fionn down. Her hands had been fisted on her hips. Her chest had heaved with every angry breath. But queens and goddesses are ofttimes cruel, as Kieran was well aware. And, in that moment, nothing about the situation had struck him as even remotely humorous.

HERE BE NEWS for Monday June 19, 2023

 

 

 Monday June 19, 2023 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

Thursday June, 15, 2023: Deborah Bailey offers helpful suggestions in her post, Thinking About Starting a Podcast?

New from Jenny Schwartz!

SALVAGE

Delphic Dame, Book 1

Futuristic Space Opera

Buy Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Salvage-Delphic-Dame-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0BRHLZRY4/

No one warned her about the alien baby.

Captain Cherry Pendit is a very improper oracle. A proper seer warns the hero, then retires to the luxury of her temple while the hero saves the day.

Pfft. Boring.

Cherry doesn’t need a hero to defy Fate. In fact, she intends to rescue the hero.

There might be a few bumps along the way—like an entire alien species her oracular talent didn’t warn her about—but Captain Cherry Pendit of the Delphic Dame is prepared to adapt and overcome.

If only the pirates, the good guys—who might be bad guys—and her allies would just stop freaking interfering by pushing their own stupid agendas.

Don’t they realize that if Cherry fails, humanity is doomed?

***
Salvage is the first book in The Delphic Dame space opera trilogy. It picks up Cherry’s story three years after Nora’s disruption of Human Sector society in The Adventures of a Xeno-Archaeologist. Unforgettable characters in a fast-paced, futuristic thriller.

                

 New!

FIRE GODS

Deities, Book 3

Contemporary Fantasy/Apocalyptic Romance
by Linda Mooney

Word Count: 36.2K

$2.99 e / $10.00 p

From an underground bomb shelter, Andrea Johns has been watching the apocalypse play out through live feeds from around the world. A tsunami hitting the Rockies, tornadoes in the Andes, lava filling the Grand Canyon, earthquakes in Paris—the world is literally being wiped out one natural disaster at a time. And it’s only a matter of time before every living being is wiped out with it.

Pyre, the demi-god of fire, along with his brothers, are still wreaking havoc on earth per the old gods’ orders, but they have been careful not to kill every living thing. Some humans need to remain alive to worship the gods and bring them back into power, and those humans will need food. Upon clearing out one area in particular, Pyre sees something, or someone, fleeing and decides it’s worth saving. He wasn’t expecting a human, or that she’d be able to see him. Could it be he’d gotten as lucky as his brothers and found his woman?

Andrea is torn. Yes, Pyre saved her, but he’s also responsible for all that is happening. Does she trust him? Can she trust her heart? When the other two women who “belong” to the demi-gods go missing, it’ll take everyone working together to save them.

Several gods are already down for the count, but how many more are left to be conquered before the mortals are truly free? One thing the brothers have finally learned is that together they stand a chance. Especially with their feisty women by their sides. Gods or not, never underestimate the power of a mortal.

Warning! Contains fresh fruit, cookware weaponry, days without bathing, going out on a limb, sharing stories, a crazed harpy goddess bird woman, and one survivor realizing that the object of her anger is a demi-god who has come to love her.   

Excerpt and Buy Links

New! FIRE GODS, Deities, Book 3, a Contemporary Fantasy/Apocalyptic Romance by Linda Mooney

 New!

FIRE GODS

Deities, Book 3

Contemporary Fantasy/Apocalyptic Romance
by Linda Mooney

Word Count: 36.2K

$2.99 e / $10.00 p

From an underground bomb shelter, Andrea Johns has been watching the apocalypse play out through live feeds from around the world. A tsunami hitting the Rockies, tornadoes in the Andes, lava filling the Grand Canyon, earthquakes in Paris—the world is literally being wiped out one natural disaster at a time. And it’s only a matter of time before every living being is wiped out with it.

Pyre, the demi-god of fire, along with his brothers, are still wreaking havoc on earth per the old gods’ orders, but they have been careful not to kill every living thing. Some humans need to remain alive to worship the gods and bring them back into power, and those humans will need food. Upon clearing out one area in particular, Pyre sees something, or someone, fleeing and decides it’s worth saving. He wasn’t expecting a human, or that she’d be able to see him. Could it be he’d gotten as lucky as his brothers and found his woman?

Andrea is torn. Yes, Pyre saved her, but he’s also responsible for all that is happening. Does she trust him? Can she trust her heart? When the other two women who “belong” to the demi-gods go missing, it’ll take everyone working together to save them.

Several gods are already down for the count, but how many more are left to be conquered before the mortals are truly free? One thing the brothers have finally learned is that together they stand a chance. Especially with their feisty women by their sides. Gods or not, never underestimate the power of a mortal.

Warning! Contains fresh fruit, cookware weaponry, days without bathing, going out on a limb, sharing stories, a crazed harpy goddess bird woman, and one survivor realizing that the object of her anger is a demi-god who has come to love her.   

Excerpt and Buy Links

Thinking about Starting a Podcast?

 

These days the social media landscape is extremely cluttered; it might be hard to stand out (unless you buy ads or purchase a blue check). Audio is a very intimate way to connect. Video is great too, but people can listen to podcasts when they’re walking, driving, running, travelling, etc.

Audio is an intimate medium where you can make a connection with the listener. And it's a great way to share your writing with your prospective readers.

 

What should you share?

Here are some suggestions! Talk about your life as an author. Share your WIP.Talk about your books, characters, settings, etc. Provide writing tips for other authors in your genre. Connect with your readers with behind-the-scenes details. Read excerpts from your books. Feature conversations with other authors.

 

Should you do video too?

Social media platforms love video (it keeps people on their sites longer) but it's not required. If you'd like to add videos, consider creating a YouTube channel where you can regularly post them.

 

Costs

For the most part you can record and post podcast episodes at no cost to you. Your level of investment depends on your goals, the type of equipment you use, and the platform you use to host your podcast.

For instance, if you'd like someone to help with creating and editing, you can hire freelancers. There are also companies that will manage podcast production. (Again, it all depends on how much you want to invest.)

 

Where to distribute?

If you want to keep it very simple, you can post it to your website. However, it makes sense to distribute to a larger audience. In that case you can use platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, among others. In addition, YouTube has recently launched their own podcasting options.

 

How to distribute?

Platforms such as Libsyn and Anchor will host and distribute your files (They both also allow you to record on their platforms.).

There are many other platforms where you and other guests/hosts can record your conversations if you aren’t in the same location. Zoom and Skype are just two examples, though sound quality may vary.

Adobe has recently launched software to record podcasts. They also have editing software called Adobe Audition.

New podcasting tools seem to pop up every day. Next time I'll share a bit more about other things you can do to get started.

The best thing to do is research your options first, so you'll have an idea of the time commitment (and the possible fees). That way you can get a better idea if podcasting is a good option for your marketing goals.

 

HERE BE NEWS for Monday June 12, 2023

 

 

 Monday June 12, 2023 

Welcome to HERE BE NEWS, where each monday we bring you all the latest from the fantasy romance authors at Here Be Magic:

Thursday June 8, 2023:  Nicole Luiken discusses some of the gems she's discovered on Kobo Plus!

                        

The Lady and the Earl 

(Return to the Ladies of Sommer by the Sea Book 2)

    Ruth A Casie

A woman's manipulating behavior is a prescription for disaster. But for whom? 

Harriet Manning is a brilliant physician, dedicating her days to assisting her renowned father and volunteering with the Ladies Auxiliary. Though deeply passionate about medicine and helping others, societal norms restrict her from practicing openly. To add to her woes, her mother is incessantly urging her to find a suitable husband.

During a trip to London, Asheton Dunn suffers a riding accident and is taken to Harriet's clinic for treatment. As he recuperates, Harriet and Asheton grow close, kindling a romance. However, when Harriet's family discovers that Asheton is the Duke of Whippany's son, they are taken aback. Harriet's mother advises her to put aside her medical aspirations and conform to society's expectations to fit into Asheton's world.

Although they are engaged, their match is met with disapproval from the ton, and a friend harboring ulterior motives. Will Harriet and Asheton overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their love?

https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Earl-Return-Ladies-Sommer-ebook/dp/B0C1W6G3FV

During the month of June, you can get the e-book of this paranormal fantasy/time travel romance for just 99c!
But only on my website! 
Just use Discount Code Word: OWL

NIGHTSWEPT
Fantasy/Paranormal/Time Travel Romance
by Linda Mooney
Word Count: 35.5K
$2.99 e / $9.99 p / $14.95 a

It's said a witch without a familiar is considered lost, but a warlock without a familiar is deemed soulless.

Yordan Squires has a rather lonely existence. As a warlock capable of time travel, he’d resigned himself to a life of solitude long ago. When he finds someone possessing the magicks like himself, she could be the answer to his loneliness. But it’s too dangerous and selfish of him to ask her to accompany him on his travels. 

Ravenelle is a sprite, or so she’s told. She doesn’t know what she is or how she has powers, but when she finds someone who does know, she doesn’t want him to go away. Despite her healing abilities and invisibility, she’s ashamed of the life she has been forced into. Cold and hungry, she’s had no choice but to sell herself, and now she’s in grave danger from the man who owns her.  

Yordan vows to protect his Ravenelle. As perilous as his travels are, she would be safer with him than fending for herself. But sometimes trouble follows, no matter where or when you end up. 

Separately they are special. Together they are unstoppable.

Warning! Contains changeable coins, a tiny hourglass, a horse barn, invisibility, fight or flight, rocky food, differing norms, and a man who learns what it's like to finally discover the other half of his soul.

Excerpt and Buy Links